Gun found in 7-year-old’s backpack prompts lockdown at Queens elementary school; Unloaded gun found in Alabama school

Police aren’t saying much about an incident which placed Wave Preparatory Elementary School in Far Rockaway, Queens, on lockdown this morning, aside from reports that a .22 caliber handgun was found in a second-grader’s backpack.

The New York Times reports that some children at the school feared the worst when the principal came over the intercom and warned students and teachers not to leave their classrooms. The newspaper’s report says only that the gun was not fired, though an ABC7 story says the weapon was loaded and children were instructed to hide under desks.

A similar but much lower-profile incident occurred today at Baldwin County High School in Alabama, after a parent called the school and said a student might have a gun in his backpack. Although bullets were also found in the backpack, the gun wasn’t loaded and the school was not placed on lockdown. A school district spokesman said that the backpack was handed over to police and the incident was over in “less than 3 minutes.” Two students were arrested.

Parent alerted Baldwin Co. High School authorities about the gun. Gun found, not loaded, but bullets in bookbag. Two students arrested.